Measurement of antibodies to Candida albicans as a screening test for humoral immunodeficiency. 1987

D I Phillips, and N Matthews
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.

In screening for defects in humoral immunity, as well as measuring serum immunoglobulins it is advisable to have some measure of antibody production, e.g., immunising with a test antigen and measuring the antibody response some days later. However, this delay may be inconvenient and requires a second blood sample. An alternative is to test for antibody to a widespread commensal organism to which the patient must have been repeatedly exposed. The measurement of antibody to E. coli by haemagglutination has been previously used for this purpose. We report here that an equally good and simpler alternative is to measure antibodies to the commensal Candida albicans by immunofluorescence. Using a polyvalent conjugate, all 114 blood donors tested had antibody titres greater than 8 to C. albicans; similar responses were noted in 20 children (aged 6 months-16 years) without recurrent infections. In contrast, anti-candida responses were low or absent as expected in patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia but also in some patients with other immunodeficiency diseases. Overall candida immunofluorescence closely paralleled E. coli haemagglutination.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007070 Immunoglobulin A Represents 15-20% of the human serum immunoglobulins, mostly as the 4-chain polymer in humans or dimer in other mammals. Secretory IgA (IMMUNOGLOBULIN A, SECRETORY) is the main immunoglobulin in secretions. IgA,IgA Antibody,IgA1,IgA2,Antibody, IgA
D007074 Immunoglobulin G The major immunoglobulin isotype class in normal human serum. There are several isotype subclasses of IgG, for example, IgG1, IgG2A, and IgG2B. Gamma Globulin, 7S,IgG,IgG Antibody,Allerglobuline,IgG(T),IgG1,IgG2,IgG2A,IgG2B,IgG3,IgG4,Immunoglobulin GT,Polyglobin,7S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgG,GT, Immunoglobulin
D007075 Immunoglobulin M A class of immunoglobulin bearing mu chains (IMMUNOGLOBULIN MU-CHAINS). IgM can fix COMPLEMENT. The name comes from its high molecular weight and originally was called a macroglobulin. Gamma Globulin, 19S,IgM,IgM Antibody,IgM1,IgM2,19S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgM
D007153 Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes Syndromes in which there is a deficiency or defect in the mechanisms of immunity, either cellular or humoral. Antibody Deficiency Syndrome,Deficiency Syndrome, Immunologic,Deficiency Syndromes, Antibody,Deficiency Syndromes, Immunologic,Immunologic Deficiency Syndrome,Immunological Deficiency Syndromes,Antibody Deficiency Syndromes,Deficiency Syndrome, Antibody,Deficiency Syndrome, Immunological,Deficiency Syndromes, Immunological,Immunological Deficiency Syndrome,Syndrome, Antibody Deficiency,Syndrome, Immunologic Deficiency,Syndrome, Immunological Deficiency,Syndromes, Antibody Deficiency,Syndromes, Immunologic Deficiency,Syndromes, Immunological Deficiency
D002176 Candida albicans A unicellular budding fungus which is the principal pathogenic species causing CANDIDIASIS (moniliasis). Candida albicans var. stellatoidea,Candida stellatoidea,Dematium albicans,Monilia albicans,Myceloblastanon albicans,Mycotorula albicans,Parasaccharomyces albicans,Procandida albicans,Procandida stellatoidea,Saccharomyces albicans,Syringospora albicans
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000908 Antibodies, Fungal Immunoglobulins produced in a response to FUNGAL ANTIGENS. Fungal Antibodies

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